Honeydew Valley

A deep valley that sees the growth of most of Paradisium's fruits and vegetables, as well as dairy products, sitting in a rich valley at the base of the Wild Gardens.

Description

Honeydew Valley is located in a quiet pastoral landscape, being a semiautonomous settlement of the Verdant Caverns. Soft rolling hills stretch out like a colorful blanket across a wide pastoral landscape. Overhead, a flittering of arcane fireflies sparkle like dream light start along the ceiling, nesting together during the day into a brilliant pastel sun. The grass is soft as a kitten's fur, and fields of sleeping poppies dot the landscape, interspersed with the occasional cottage or farmhouse. Here there are no dangers, only the gentle breeze and soft cooing of living plush creatures. Just be careful where you fall asleep, or you might find yourself lost in comfortable dreams for rest of your life. The soft pastel colors and softer plush animals have given the valley it's Nickname as "The Plush-toral Plains"

Supplying much of the dungeon's cultivated food in the form of fruit and vegetable crops as well as hu-dairy related products, Honeydew Valley is a peaceful farming settlement. Much of what grows naturally here is candy sweet, with an pacifying property that dulls the mind and turns intelligent creatures into docile, domesticated animals. But careful cultivation has encouraged the growth of less sugary crops, and properly treating the soil throughout the year ensures that crops harvested for the market are safe of this pacifying effect.

The Firefly Sky

The Honeydew Valley is naturally lit by the Firefly Sky, a phenomenon with no known origin, it is speculated however to be somewhat natural. A unknown species of fireflies gather in Honeydew Valley, flying near the cavern ceiling glowing with similar light to the stars in the night sky when they are spread out. They operate in a 36 hour cycle that has been studied, and while some aspects are still fairly unknown.

The most obvious aspect of this cycle is the gathering and spread of the fireflies which provides a day and night cycle. The Gathering hours is the first six hours of the day as the fireflies begin to gather into a singular point on the cavern ceiling, slowly increasing the light and heat they produce. Once they are fully gathered, the Daylight hours begin, the light that is produced becoming natural sunlight for the purpose of racial and magical effects. The Daylight hours last for twelve hours, and then the fireflies begin to disperse once again over the six hours that makes up the Dispersal hours as the light begins to wane, and the light and heat begin to die down, until the Starlight hours begin, where the fireflies in smaller clusters and individuals pattern the cavern's ceiling in what appears to be twinkling starlight.

It has been theorized that the Daylight hours is the fireflies coming together for mating and rearing in their lifecycle, the twinkling starlight being a period of growth, death, and sustenance, before repeating again. The lifespan of the fireflies is unknown, as they are not able to be bred in captivity to date, though it is estimated to be measured in weeks. However, capture and observation has shown an interesting effect, upon death the body of the firefly is consumed in a flash and becomes mineral rich ash. It is speculated that between the light, and the ash, the fireflies are why the valley is so fertile.

Notable Locations

• Moo-Mellon Ranch
• Tranquility Ranch

Community Center and Market

In the center of the Honeydew Valley is the Community Center, with the statehouse and Farmer's Market, it is a place for the entire community to get together regularly, trade, talk, barter and host festivals.